Electric controller



N. n. LEV|N. ELECTRIC CONTROLLER. APPLICATION FILED NOV- 2l, I916.

1,423, 126, v Patented July 18, 1922.

3 SHEETSSHEET 55 INVE/V'TOH V Eig. M A Wv nesses BY W MAX/Q2601) fiqwmw I A TTOR/VEY N. D. LEVIN. ELECTRIC CONTROLLER.

APPLICATION man NOV. 21,4916.

Patented July 18, 1922.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

do? IQkOE II vs EIZIIIIIIIEIIZIEIIIVH I INVENTOH m A). m

A TTOR/V UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

NILS D. LEVIN, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE JEFFREY MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

ELECTRIC CONTROLLER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 18, 1922.

Application filed November 21, 1916. Serial No. 132,686.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, NILS D. LEVIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Columbus, in the county of Franklin and the State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful v Improvements in Electric Controllers, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

The present invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in electric controllers adapted to the control of electric locomotives. The object being to produce a controller of large capacity, extreme durability, and of convenient arrangement of parts.

One object is to produce an improved arrangement of blow out magnets adapted to effectively extinguish the arcs formed between the contact segments and the brushes by the rupture of heavy currents of electricity.

.A. further object is to provide an improved mounting for the blow out magnets by which they may be conveniently swung aside to admit of the inspection and adjustment of the-brushes and contact segments.

A further object is to provide an improve arrangement of. are deflecting plates for the prevention of the formation of arcs between adjacent brushes.

I These and other objects will appear in the followin s )ecilication wherein reference is had to the accompanying drawings of which Fig. 1 is a front elevation of my controller, the cover being removed and certain parts being broken away to reveal other parts.

Fig. 2 is a cross section taken on the lines AA of Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a crosssection taken on the line BB of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4cis a diagram of the electric circuits of a three motor locomotive including my improved controller.

Like numerals refer to similar parts in the several figures.

The operative parts of the controller are counted within a casing comprising a back plate 1, cast integral with the bottom 2. and

having at its upper edge lugs 3 to which is secured the top plate 4: by convenient machine screws 5. A sheet steel cover 6 engages the side flanges 7 of the back plate and is held in place in any preferred and 5 5 suitable manner.

p The controller comprises a rotatable commutating cylinder having renewable contact segments adapted to contactwith stationary brushes to connect the conductors of the lo comotive into suitable combinations of circuits to effect the starting and stopping and to regulate the speed of the motors, and a rotatable reverse cylinder having contact plates I adapted to contact with stationary brushes to connect the said conductors into suitable combinations 0 control. the direction of rotation of the armatures and to connect the motors in series or. in parallel with each other. Suitable interlocking devices are pro- 7 vided to prevent the rotation of either cylinder when the other is in a position such as will produce an undesirable combination of circuits.

The commutating cylinder is of the well 7 known construction in which a plurality of spider sections 15 are mounted upon a square shaft- 16 from which they are electrically separated bysuitable insulation 17. The spider sections .are clamped between the clamping collar 18, pinned to the shaft 16 near its upper end and a similar collar 19, pinned near thelower end of the said shaft. Suitable insulating washers separate the spider sections from each other and from the clamping members. To the arms of the spider 15 are attached. contact segments 21 of such length and position as to contact with their corresponding brushes 22 at the appropriate steps of the rotation of the cylinder to produce the desired combination of connections.

The shaft 16 is square throughout the greater part of its length, and is turned round near each end to form journals which are rotatable in journal bearings formed in the top and bottom plate of the controller casing in the manner common in controller practice. A convenient handle 27, attached to an extension of the shaft 16 above the top plate l, affords means for the rotation ofthe cylinder.

To simplify the matter of repair and renewals of parts, it is important that the parts which are subject to the most frequent renewal shall be reduced to the least possible variation of size and shape, and for this reason it is especially desirable that all o'l. the brushes shall be alike. As the currents flowing in some of the circuits of such a locomotive as is contemplated in connection with such a controller are several times greater than in others it is apparent that it all of the brushes were made large enough to carry the heavier currents the controller would be unduly cumbersome and expensive. I have. therefore, arranged certain of the brush holders with two or more brushes. connected in parallel, thereby securing conductivity proportionate to the requirements of the circuit with the additional advantage of the greater reliability of divided contacts and. with uniform units adapted to the circuits with which they are used.

In order that the overall length of the controller may be kept Within. the space available upon the locomotive. I have arranged the commutating cylinder brushes in two oppositely disposed rows one at each side of the commutating cylinder. The brushes 22- are pivotally mounted upon the brush holder casting secured to a wooden mounting strip 36 attached to the back plate ol the controller casting, and are resiliently held in contact with. the segments of the cylinder by suitably arranged compression springs 38 in the manner well understood in the art. Each brush 9,2 is connected by a flexible copper conductor 39 to terminal connector 4-0 having a stem d1 which extends through an appropriate aperture in the casing of the controller and is connected to the conductors of the circuits of the locomotive by clamping nuts 43.

The blow out magnets are two cylindrical cores 49 extending vertically in front of the commutating cylinder and brushes, equidistant from the central vertical, plane of the cylinder. and of equal length therewith. l pon these cores are placed insulating tubes 50. and upon these are wound the conductors 51. in such manner that air space is maintained between adjacent turns. The coils thus formed are protected by shields 5'2 composed ot non-combustible insulating material. At each end the conductors 51 are soldered to thimbles haying flanges 5 lsecnred to the arms to support the coils and form the electrical connection by which said coils are connected into the circuits of the locomotive.

By the construction. ,above described I have provided, adjacent each row of contacts between the brushes 22 and the comimitating segments 21 a powerful magnet having highly localized poles of opposite at its ends, by which is produced an intense external field in which the lines of force flow substantially parallel with the length of the magnet. By the uniform dis- 'i.ilin,ition of the conductor 51 over the entire length of the core 4-9 a greater degree of imignetizatiou is obtained with a given number of turns oi the conductor, and a more strictly localized polarity is produced than with blow out magnets such as have been hereto-tore constructed.

The supporting arms are provided at their right hand ends with. downwardly proiecting studs 55 adapted to engage with suitable apertures in the hinge posts 56 which are mounted on the mounting strips 36. @n the left hand end of the supporting arms 55 are formed tlat lugs 57 adapted to be secured by suitable machine screws 58 to the tlat heads of the terminal posts 59. mounted similarly to the brush holder terminals. and connected. in. a similar manner by terminal clamps (30 with the conductors ot the locomotive. The above described ai.'ran;1'e1nent is adapted to term the necessary electrical connections and to curely support the blow out magnets in working relation with the commutating cylinder and with the brushes. the removal ot the screws 58 the arms 5. together with the blow out magnets. may be rotated on the hinge posts 56 to permit inspection and adjustment oi the blUSllQF; and commutating segments. After such rotation these parts may. if desired. be litted to disengage the studs 55 from the posts 56 to allow the removal ot the blow out magnets from the controller.

Between adjacent groups of ln-ushes are placed plate 6] of non-combustible insulating material. to insure against the short circuiting ot the controller by the iumping of the arcs From, one brush to the next. These are delectors Gl. extend From the transverse center line of the blow out magnets to the back wall l oi the casing of the controller. and trom one mounting strip 36 to the other. and are notched around the cylinder '15 to admit their being inserted or withdrawn from the trout ot the controller. Their Forward edges are notched to [it closely around the shield 52 ot the blow out magnets which. when in operative position. hold them securely in place. The wooden mounting strips 36 are protected by plates (32 ot non-combustible insulating material to which are attached shield blocks 6?) ol the same material to a tlbrd additional protection to the hinge members of the brushes, and to hold the are deflectors (31 in spaced relation to each other.

The circuits of the controller are so arranged that the heaviest currents. which produce the strongest arcs. flow through the brushes at the top and bottom extremities of the controller where "the lines or torce of the external tield are densest, and the direction of the current at these points, and through the coils of the blow out magnets, are such that the arcs are blown outwardly along lines parallel with the deflector plates 61. Although the deflector plates are constructed of highly refractory material, and are not subjected to the direct burning action of the arcs, they are subjected to gradual deterioration which necessitates their renewal at more or less frequent intervals, and the separate removability of these plates, and their ready accessibility, contributes greatly to increase the convenience and economy of such renewal.

The reverse cylinder is of the construction commonly used in controllers of this class, and consists of a wooden cylinder 65 mounted concentrically upon a shaft 66 which is journaled in the. top and bottom plates of the controller casing. Uponthe surface of this wodden cylinder are fixed con tact plates 6'7 which are adapted to contact with brushes 68 to connect them together in such combinations as may be necessary to produce the desired circuits in the wiring of the locomotive. Longitudinal grooves 69 admit of connecting bars '70 to connect together plates which are not contiguous where such connections are desirable.

Such controllers are especially adapted to use upon electric locomotives designed for use in coal mines, andsimilar service, requiring extremely heavy current, and having very limited space available for controlling apparatus.

Having now described. the details of the construction of my controller, its operation will be more clearly understood from the explanation of the diagram of a locomotive in which such a controller is used, but it must be understood that other combinations of circuits can be made with the same apparatus without departure from the spirit of my invention.

In the diagram shown in Fig. 4: the commutating cylinder is represented by a group of rectangles representing the contact seg ments, those numbered 21 are attached to the uppermost spider section, those numbered 21.", 21, 21 and 21 are on the middle spider section, and that marked 21 is on the lowest section. The segments of each section are connected together electrically through the body of the spider and are in sulated trom the segments of another section. The commutating cylinder brushes are represented by the rows of rectangular ures arranged at both sides of the commutating segments, the length of the rectangle being proportional to the number of brushes connected in parallel held by the respective brush holders. The contact plates of the reverse cylinder are arranged in tour vertical rows, representing the tour operative positions of the cylinder,and marked PA (parallel ahead), SA (series ahead), SR (series reverse) and PR (parallel reverse). Suitable resistance grids 90 are arranged in groups to produce the electrical resistance appropriate to the purpose intended.

As shown in the diagram, current is der ived through one or other of the two trolley poles 9i from a. trolley wire (commonly of positive polarity) stretched conveniently above the track upon which the locomotive operates. These trolley poles are connected through the usual plug connectors 92 with a single pole double throw switch 98 by which the trolley pole not in active service is disconnected .fIOIHtllB circuits of the locomo: tive. From the trolley switch 93 the circuit passes through the fuse 94c to the contacts or" the plunger switch 95 outside of the controller, by which the final main break is effected. From the plunger contacts the circuit passes through the two blow out coils 51 in parallel, and thence to the commutator brush R of the controller. Fromthis point a branch conductor leads to the point R in the resistance 90. A branch conductor is taken off the main circuit at the point 96 between the fuse and the plunger which leads to the brush 97 of the commutating cylinder, and from the companion brush 98 is lead through suitable resistance 99 to the operating solenoid 100 ot the plunger, to the ground (which is connnonly of negative polarity).

When the commutating cylinder is moved to the first step of its rotation the contact segments 21. will contact with the brushes it and with the brushes P, F, and I, but as yet there is no current in any of the circuits of the locomotive. At the same time the segments 531* will contact with the brush 98. At the second step the segmehtQl will contact with the brushes 97 and 98 closing the circuit through the solenoid 100 to cause the contact 95 to close, sending current into the circuits. At the same time the segments 21 contacts with the brushes E The path of the current will then be from the plunger 95 through the blow out coils 51 to the point R of the resistance, traversing the entire length of the resistance to the brush holder R through the segments 21, to the brushes P, F, and I. The conductors from the brushes 1 and F lead to the correspondingly marked brushes of the reverse cylinder which, at the position SA find no contact plates. From the brush l the circuit is to the point I of the No. 1 motor, through its field to the point C, from thence to the brush C, to the brush D, to thepoint D of the motor, through the armature and interpole windings to the point B, to the brush B, brush 1*), point E of the No. 2 motor, through the field to point C, to brush G, to brush H, point H of the motor, through the armature and interpole windings to the point L, brush L, brush 0, point 0 of the No. 3 motor,

through the arn'iature and intcrpole windings to point H, to brush M, to brush N, to point N, and through iield to ground. By this tombination a reduced current will How through the three motors in series causing their armatures to revolve in a direction to more the locomotive ahead.

As the counnutating' cylinder is rotated through its successive steps the ients 2!, 2i, and 21' are brought success vcl'y into contact with the appro 'iriate lingers to short circuit portions of the resistance and at the last step all of the resistance is cut out of the circuit, allowin the ilull strength o'li the current to How through the motors.

\Vhen the cylinder rotated in the reverse direction the resistance is out into the circuit in the same progressive manner that it had been previously cut out. and when the last step is taken the current is cut out of the solenoidv 100 to allow the contact 95 to open, producing the linal main break of the circuit to stop the locomotive. As the contact is broken between each successive brush and its corresponding segments during the reverse rotation of the cylinder there are :tornie il electric arcs whi h it is the province of the blow out magnets to eatinguish. From Fig. 4- it will be seen that in every instance the current [lows from the brushes (It the right hand row to the segments oi? the coininutating cylinder, and from the segments oi" the (:(unniutating cylinder to the brushes of the left hand row. As the conductor [it is wound upon the core 4L5) in such a direction that the magnets will have north polari at the top, the lines o'l magnetic Force llow downwardly through the external iield. \V hen the contact segments move tron'i the brushes ot the left hand row the current will travel. across the intervening gap trom lel t to rigrht intersecting the lines of magnetic force in a direction to cause the resultant arc to be blown outward between the magnets where there is ample space for the dissipation withoutinjury "to the parts oi. the up paratus. l i hen the comn'uitatine; segments pass from the brushes oi the right hand row the current will travel across the intervening gap from the left to the right interse ting' the lines of magnetic :lorce in a direction to be blown iinvardly to wards the cylinder 15. The arrangement oi the parts however is such that at the left hand side of every conn'i'iutating segment there is ample room "For the dissipation of the arcs without injury to the pr oi the apparatus.

W hat I claim is:

1. In a controller oi the class descrihech the combination with a rotatable cylii'ider, of contact plates carried by the cyliiuler, brushes adapted to contact with he plates, an elongated magnet core adjacent the points of contact of the brushes and haying its magnetic axis parallel with the axis of the cylinder, and an insulated conductor wound upon said core.

In a controller of the class described, the combination with a rotatable cylinder, contact plates cari'ed by the brushe. adapted to contact with the plates an. elongated magnet core adjacent the points of contact oi. the brushes and having its magnetic axis parallel with the axis of the cylinder, and an insulated. conductor wound in a continuous coil upon the core.

3. in a controller oil the class described, the combination with a rotatable cylinder contact plates carried by the cylinder luushcs adapted to contact with the plates. an elongated magnet core adjacent the points oi contact of the brushes and having); nnio etic axis parallel with the axis ol be c nder. an insulated conductor wound n a continuous coil upon the core, and a nnnrombustihlc insulating shield arranged to protect said condijictor from, the injurious ei'l'ects ot' the arcs ilormed at said contact .oints.

l. ln a controller of the class described. the conibiijiation with a rotatable cylindcn oi? contact plates 'arried by the cylinder, brushes a lapted to contact with the plates an elongated magnet core adjacent the points at contact of the brushes and having; its magnetic axis parallel with the axis of he cydindznu an insulated conductor wound upon said core. and a cylindrical noncomhustible insulatiin; shield surroinnlinp said conductor.

5'. ln a (JOHllOllQl oi the class describei'l, the coi'nhination with a rotatable cylinder contact plates carried by the cylindiju', lu-ushcs aiilapted to contact with the plates, an cloin ated magnet core adjacent the points oil: contact of the brushes and having; its magnetic axis parallel with the axis of the cylinder, an iini ulatcd conductor wound a continuous coil upon said core and a cylindrii'tal noncombustible insulating shield surrouiuling said coil and loingitudinally coextensive therewith.

0. in a controller of the class described, the combination with a rotatable cylinder, of contact plates czzurried by the (fYllIltlGR brushes adapted to contact with the plates, an elongated magnet core parallel with the cylinder adjacent the points of contact of the brushes, an insulated conductor wound upon the core and supports tor the magnet which also serve to connect the conductor of the coil with the conductors oi? the circuits.

T In a controller of the class describei'l, the combination with a rotatable cylinder, 2 contact plates carried by the cylinder O: brushes adapted to contact with the plates, an elongate, magnet core 'iarallel with the cylini'ler adjacent the points ol" contact of the brushes, an insulated conductor wound in a continuous coil upon the core, and supports cylinder,

for the magnet which also serve to connect the conductor of the coil with the conductors of the circuits.

8. In a controller of the class described, the combination with a rotatable cylinder, of contact plates carried by the cylinder,

rushes adapted to contact with'the plates, an elongated magnet core parallel with the cylinder, adjacent the points of contact of the brushes, an insulated conductor wound in a continuous coil. upon the core, and supports for the magnet which also serve to connect the conductor of the coil with the conductors of the circuits. said supports containing hinges upon which the magnet may be swung aside to admit of inspection of the brushes and plates.

9. In a controller of the class described, the combination with a rotatable cylinder, of plates carried by the cylinder, brushes adapted to contact with the plates, a blow out magnet comprising an elongated coil adjacent the points of contact of the brushes, and hinged members adapted to, removably support the magnet and to connect the conductor of the magnet with the conductors of the circuits.

10. In a controller of the class described, the combination with a rotatable cylinder, of plates carried by the cylinder, two rows of oppositely disposed brushes adapted to contact with the plates, blow out magnets comprising elongated coils positioned adjacent the points of contact of each row of brushes, and hinged members adapted to removably support the magnets and to connect the conductors of the coils with the conductors of the circuits.

11. In a controller of the class described, the combination with a rotatable cylinder, of plates carried by the cylinder, a plurality of rows of brushes adapted to contact with the plates, blow out magnets com prising elongated coils positioned adjacent the points of contact of each row of brushes, and hinged members adapted to removably support the magnets and to'connect the conductors of the coils with the conductors of the circuits.

12. In a controller of the class described, the combination with a rotatable cylinder, of plates carried by the cylinder, brushes adapted to contact with the plates, an elongated blow out magnet adjacent to pointof contact of the brushes, and independently removable insulating plates between the brushes to prevent the formation of arcs between adjacent brushes.

13. In a controller of the class described, the combination with a rotatable cylinder, of plates carried by the cylinder, brushes adapted to contact with the plates, independ cntly removable insulating plates between the brushes: to prevent the formation of arcs between adjacent brushes, an elongated blow out magnet adjacent the points of contact oi? the brushes and adapted when in operative position to contact with the insulating plates and hold them in position.

l l. In a controller of the class described, the combination with a rotatable cylinder, of plates carried by the cylinder, brushes adapted to contact with the plates, and independently removable insulating plates be tween the brushes to prevent the formation of arcs between acent brushes.

15. In a controller of the class described, the combination with a rotatable cylinder, of plates carried by the cylinder, brushes adapted to contact with the plates, an elongated blow out magnet adjacent the points of contact of the brushes, insulating plates between the brushes to prevent the forma tion or electric arcs between adjacent brushes said plates being supported independently of said blow out magnet and removable independently of each other.

16. In a controller of the class described, the combination with a rotatable cylinder of contact plates carried by the cylinder, a plurality of rows of brushes adapted to contact with the plates, and blow out magnets comprising axially elongated coils positioned adjacent the points oi contact of each row o'l brushes and having their magnetic axes parallel with the axis of said cylinder.

17. In a controller of the class described, the combination with a rotatable cylinder, of plates carried by the cylinder, brushes adapted to contact with the plates, independently removable insulating plates between the brushes to prevent the formation of arcs between adjacent brushes, an elongated blowout magnet removably supported adj acent the points of contact'ol' the brushes and in position to prevent the removal of said insulating plates while said blow-out magnet is in operative position relative to said brushes.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature, in the presence of two witnesses.

NILS D. LEVIN.

Witnesses:

DUDLEY T. FIsHER, HARRY C. DEAN. 

